Vehicle with floor area having perforations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548427-B1
Application number	US-202117351945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 18, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2021
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle floor area may include a body and a floor. The floor may be attached to and positioned at least partially above the body. The floor may comprise floor perforations. A collection receptacle may be supported by the body and positioned at least partially below the floor so that solid waste or liquid waste can fall through the floor perforations onto the collection receptacle. The waste that has fallen onto the collection receptacle may be removed from the collection receptacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle floor area comprising:
a body;
a floor attached to and positioned at least partially above the body, the floor comprising:
a top layer comprising top layer perforations, the top layer perforations comprising a diameter having a range between 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, and
a bottom substrate attached to the top layer and positioned at least partially below the top layer, the bottom substrate comprising substrate perforations substantially aligned with the top layer perforations, the substrate perforations comprising a diameter having a range between 0.5 mm to 4.0 mm; and

a collection receptacle supported by the body, the collection receptacle positioned at least partially below the floor so that solid waste or liquid waste can fall through the top layer perforations and the substrate perforations onto the collection receptable for removal from the collection receptacle.

2. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises:
a first lateral side comprising a side door end portion, and
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, the second lateral side comprising a side door end portion; and

the collection receptacle comprises:
a first collection bin supported by and positioned at the side door end portion of the first lateral side, and
a second collection bin supported by and positioned at the side door end portion of the second lateral side.

3. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises:
a first lateral side, and
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side; and

the collection receptacle comprises:
a first collection tray supported by and removable from the first lateral side of the body, and
a second collection tray supported by and removable from the second lateral side of the body.

4. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein the bottom substrate is bonded to the top layer at locations between each of the perforations.

5. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises:
a first lateral side comprising a side door end portion,
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and comprising a side door end portion, and

the floor comprises:
a first lateral panel attached to the side door end portion of the first lateral side, the first lateral panel comprising a longitudinally extending slot, and
a second lateral panel attached to the side door end portion of the second lateral side, the second lateral panel comprising a longitudinally extending slot, and

the collection receptacle comprises:
a first collection tray insertable into the longitudinally extending slot in the first lateral panel, and
a second collection tray insertable into the longitudinally extending slot of the second lateral panel.

6. The vehicle floor area of claim 5 , further comprising:
a door hingably attached to the first lateral panel to provide access to the longitudinally extending slot of the first lateral panel for insertion and removal of the first collection tray; and
a door hingably attached to the second lateral panel to provide access to the longitudinally extending slot of the second lateral panel for insertion and removal of the second collection tray.

7. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises:
a first lateral side comprising a side door end portion,
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and comprising a side door end portion, and
a center located midway between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, and
a height that increases from (i) the side door end portion of the first lateral side to the center of the body, and (ii) the side door end portion of the second lateral side to the center of the body.

8. The vehicle floor area of claim 7 , wherein:
the collection receptacle comprises:
a first collection bin supported by and positioned at the side door end portion of the first lateral side, and
a second collection bin supported by and positioned at the side door end portion of the second lateral side; and

the top layer perforations and the substrate perforations are substantially aligned with (i) the position of the first collection bin at the side door end portion of the first lateral side, and (ii) the position of the second collection bin at the side door end portion of the second lateral side.

9. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises:
a first lateral side comprising a side door end portion,
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and comprising a side door end portion, and
a center located between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, and

the floor comprises a height that increases from (i) the side door end portion of the first lateral side to the center of the body, and (ii) the side door end portion of the second lateral side to the center of the body.

10. The vehicle floor area of claim 1 , wherein:
the floor comprises:
a first lateral side comprising a side door end portion,
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and comprising a side door end portion, and
a first lateral panel attached to the side door end portion of the first lateral side, and
a second lateral panel attached to the side door end portion of the second lateral side, and
at least one of (i) the first lateral panel comprises a gas opening configured to receive a negative pressure to remove any solid waste or liquid that has fallen onto the collection receptacle, or (ii) the second lateral panel comprises a gas opening configured to receive a negative pressure to remove any solid waste or liquid waste that has fallen onto the collection receptacle.

11. A vehicle floor area comprising:
a body comprising:
a first lateral side, and
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side; and

a floor attached to and positioned at least partially above the body, the floor comprising floor perforations; and
a collection receptacle supported by the body, the collection receptacle positioned at least partially below the floor so that solid waste or liquid waste can fall through the floor perforations onto the collection receptable for removal from the collection receptacle, the collection receptacle comprising:
a first collection tray supported by and removable from the first lateral side of the body, and
a second collection tray supported by and removable from the second lateral side of the body.

12. The vehicle floor area of claim 11 , wherein the floor perforations comprise:
top layer perforations, each of the top layer perforations comprise a size, and
substrate perforations substantially aligned with the top layer perforations, each of the substrate perforations comprise a size, and wherein
the size of each top layer perforation is smaller than the size of each substrate perforation.

13. A vehicle floor area comprising:
a body comprising:
a first lateral side comprising a side door end portion,
a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and comprising a side door end portion, and
a center located between the first lateral side and the second lateral side;

a floor attached to and positioned at least partially above the body, the floor comprising floor perforations and a height that increases from (i) the side door end portion of the first lateral side to the center of the body, and (ii) the side door end portion of the second lateral side to the center of the body; and
a collection receptacle supported by the body, the collection receptacle positioned at least partially below the floor so that solid waste or liquid waste can fall through the floor perforations o

Assignees

• Zoox Inc

Inventors

• Shanmuga Sundaram Goutham

Classifications

• B60N3/08

  of receptacles for refuse, e.g. ash-trays · CPC title

• B60S1/64

  for cleaning vehicle interiors, e.g. built-in vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• B60N3/048 Primary

  characterised by their structure · CPC title

• B60N3/044 Primary

  of removable mats (B60N3/046, B60N3/048 take precedence) · CPC title

• B62D25/20

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title